A critical examination of the work intensification question

Using a historical and ethnographic approach to study work at the Peugeot-Sochaux factory during the late 20th century leads to taking a less unifying, generalized view of work intensification. First, variations in labor rules and the diversity of related problems bring to light the tensions underlying the ongoing issue of workloads. Second, identifying precise moments at which workloads actually became heavier suggests that in order to follow real developments effectively it is preferable to think in terms of a plurality of periods and tendencies. Above all, study of Sochaux plant shops leads us away from a quantitative, abstract view of work intensification. Examining concrete changes in working conditions and technical components over the long-term makes it easier to grasp the notion of work process intensification and makes that notion richer and more relevant for analysis of work worlds.